Golf ball dispensing and teeing apparatuses for use at driving ranges and the like are well known in the prior art. Representative prior art patent documents include:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,318 to Jennings PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,200 to Komori et al. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,277 to Waring PA1 WO 94/07218 to Hagen International (UK) Limited PA1 WO 94/12247 to Lesco Enterprises Limited
Unfortunately, all of the aforementioned prior art references suffer from one or more disadvantages. For example, some devices include systems that dispense or position a ball according to a pre-determined time interval. This has the undesired effect of the golfer either having to wait too long for a ball to be dispensed or being rushed between swings. The present invention aims to overcome this deficiency by allowing the golfer to controllably dispense a single ball when desired.
Another problem encountered in the prior art is that some apparatuses require permanent or semi-permanent installation at a driving range for operability. Unfortunately, mounting a ball dispenser in this manner limits its applications. In contrast, the present invention requires no mounting and is easily transported. As a result, the present invention may be used in any number of different locations including not only a driving range, but also a practise chipping or putting surface or sand bunker.
Finally, some prior devices incorporate complex mechanisms and structures for conveying golf balls from a storage container to a dispenser or for placing a ball on a tee, thus rendering them commercially infeasible or vulnerable to mechanical breakdown over time. The present invention aims to overcome these deficiencies by providing a commercially viable apparatus for holding and dispensing balls that is much less vulnerable to mechanical failure.